The NSW Treasury Secretary who helped guide the state through its COVID-19 pandemic response is quitting the public service to return to the private sector.
The announcement that Michael Pratt would leave the position and return to the private sector came after he was accused last year of bullying by a KPMG consultant who advised the NSW government about the controversial Transport Asset Holding Entity.
Brendan Lyon told a parliamentary inquiry into TAHE in December that he lost his job after pressure from Mr Pratt and Treasury bureaucrats engaging in "very unprofessional, ongoing attacks".
Mr Pratt told the inquiry Mr Lyon's team was engaged by the Transport department and had strayed into an area "where there was no capability" for them to engage in the work they did and there "was a whole set of assumptions that were wrong".
He told the hearing TAHE "was created to pursue government policy on micro economic reform to bring about the most optimal structure for the management of transport assets", rejecting claims of "accounting trickery" as "false narratives".
TAHE was one of many projects Mr Pratt played a part in over his almost decade-long career in the NSW public service, including the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier Dominic Perrottet says Mr Pratt has "helped revolutionise the way government interacts with the public and through his incredible commitment, dedication and professionalism helped deliver better services and outcomes for people right across the state for years to come".
The premier credited him with leading the development of the state's first economic blueprint, a productivity white paper and the five-yearly intergenerational report, as well as changing the NSW budget to focus on outcomes for taxpayers.
Treasurer Matt Kean called Mr Pratt an "outstanding public servant" and says his successor is "ideally placed to help guide the NSW economy through the next phase of the pandemic and set us up for the future".
Paul Grimes will take over as Treasury secretary on Saturday, having previously been the coordinator general for the state's energy and environment ministry.
He was awarded a public service medal for his work developing the country's response to the global financial crisis.
Dr Grimes has previously held high level roles in state and territory Treasury departments and served as a secretary in commonwealth government for a number of departments including Sustainability, Environment and Agriculture.
He was terminated by then Agricultural Minister Barnaby Joyce in March 2015 after clashing with his boss amid the accusation the minister had made factual errors in answers to parliament that were subsequently corrected on the Hansard.
